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11 Characteristics of a Top Notch Linkedin Profile

There are three elements to a Linkedin platform – profile, company page and groups. You may choose to use all three or just have a profile and be a member of a couple of groups or choose to have a company page too.

We’re going to concentrate on setting up a Linkedin profile, maximising all of Linkedin’s great features.

There are 11 characteristics to ensuring your Linkedin profile has been properly optimised, so you make the most out of the platform.

Step One – Add a professional photo

With the changes last year, your image has gotten bigger. So you want to check it’s high quality and not grainy. You don’t want your image to hinder your personal brand in any way.

Step Two – Write a compelling headline

You’ve got 120 characters – use them wisely and put in your keywords but ensure it still reads ok – your tagline still needs to be compelling and interesting. Ok, mine could do with an update – that’ll be my action task for this week.

Your headline is right below your name, it’s the first thing people see – make it count and be super relevant to the audience you’re reaching.

Step Three – Customise your Linkedin URL and websites

Customer your Linkedin URL and websites and add your Twitter feed if appropriate. Add your website, blog etc and customise the name. You could use a call to action and link to a landing page. To name the links, choose ‘other’ – this will allow you to name the link. As you can see below, I’ve created a link to my free Facebook Marketing Plan eBook.

You also need to customise your name, so you don’t have all the code that Linkedin generates.

Show case top skills – they’ve got to be the number 1 skills that you have and the most relevant to your audience.

Speak to the audience that you work with and want to work with.

Use concise paragraphs – break up paragraphs so they’re easier to read.

Let it be your 30 second elevator pitch – answer the, what is it that you do, what makes you tick?

Step Five – Profile enhancing apps

There’s a lot of apps that you can integrate, start with the Slideshare or Prezi app – you can build in Powerpoint presentations you’ve done, ebooks and more importantly you can embed video. It will show right below your summary and is therefore very visible.

To add a presentation, video or audio – click on edit summary, follow by add a link – scroll down and the box below will have appeared. If you know the URL add it straight in. For a list of providers, click the Supported Providers link.

The approved providers and content types box will appear. If you click on each of the image, video, audio and presentations – this will open a drop down box with all their approved suppliers listed.

Step Six – Add relevant and targeted skills

This is a great feature that Linkedin has and they’ve made it very easy to endorse people.

I’ve built up quite a few endorsements on my profile and it’s just so easy.

Add in your areas of expertise to make it easy for people to start endorsing you. Ensure you check the ‘display your endorsements’.

When you go to someone’s profile, it will say at the top – Does Charlie have these skills or expertise? Linkedin will generate some suggestions.

Endorsing people is also a great way to build up your visibility, as every time you endorse someone they’ll receive a message. Be sure to reciprocate and endorse others.

Step Seven – Add relevant work experience

Use a good short description of your work experience with your current role at the top, followed by past employment.

Linkedin will now only show two snippets of your recommendations under your work experience with a link to further down the page to any further recommendations.

You can also add in any links to presentations, videos, audio into the work experience section.

Step Eight – request and provide recommendations

As you recommend people they will recommend you back. However, personally, I don’t recommend anyone unless I’ve worked with them. I’ve had requests from people I barely know – how can I recommend their work if I’ve not experienced it. There’s a difference between endorsements and recommendations.

If you’ve built up your recommendations and someone asks about your previous work, you can send them direct to your Linkedin Profile – use it as a marketing tool.

Step Nine – Add relevant projects that boost credibility

You can now add projects that you’ve worked on, which will also boost your credibility because people will get to see who you’ve work with. Adding in projects also enhances the depth of your work experience and expertise.

Step Ten – Add relevant publications that ignite credibility

You can add one off blog posts, newsletters, eBooks so people can read about what you’re doing. Write a specific blog post or eBook targeted at your specific audience.

Step Eleven – Add other miscellaneous categories

Awards and certifications

Courses

Special interests

Organisations

Linkedin Groups

Languages

Volunteering and causes

Education

Optimising all of the above helps you create a well-rounded profile.

Take Action: Review your current Linkedin profile and identify at least 3 – 5 things you can do to improve your profile.

Is there anything else you would add to your Linkedin profile? Share in the comments below.